1965 British Fiberglass Motorcycle Fairings

Description: Yes we combine shipping for multiple purchases.Add multiple items to your cart and the combined shipping total will automatically be calculated. 1965 British Fiberglass Motorcycle Fairings - 6-Page Vintage Article Original, vintage magazine articlePage Size: Approx 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each pageCondition: Good LONDON, England: The use of syn-thetic resin bonded glass fibers in the auto-motive mass-production field has hardlylived up to its initial promise. Early studentsof fiberglass confidently forecast a turn toplastic bodies which would oust the tra-ditional sheet steel. That this has nothappened is due to a number of cost andtechnical factors (but outside the scope ofthis article). Yet evidence of extensive ex-perimental work by the world’s leading autocompanies suggests that the “all-plastic"car will arrive, probably later than sooner.Meantime, fiberglass is recommended forsmall production runs, and where newshapes are required without heavy toolinglosses. Good tensile properties and com-parative ease of repair are other importantconsiderations favoring fiberglass.One application which immediatelysprings to mind is for motorcycle fairings.Indeed, the advance of fiberglass knowledgehas alone made fairing manufacture a prac-tical proposition.The earlier mention of fiberglass beingparticularly adaptable to small productionruns should not pass without qualification.In England there is a firmly based fairingsindustry; and certainly Mitchenall Brothersof Wiltshire do not count their efforts inones and twos. Now they rate as the largestfairing manufacturers and since enteringthe motorcycle accessory field in 1954. deliv-eries of their streamlined handlebar fairingshave long since soared past the half-millionmark. Weekly production of all ’‘Avon"fairings, in the busy Durrington factory,is also very impressive.But however far the sales graphs can bepushed upwards, mass production methodsmust be ruled out in the face of Englishmotorcycling economics. In the U.K. onlyabout 22% of new street machine ownerscan be considered as potential fairing cus-tomers. And “fairings” covers a wide rangeof types, from the simple to the compre-hensive. Price differential, type for type,also varies considerably. Very cheap fair-ings must compete in a smallish marketagainst the better quality products. Mitche-nalls. incidentally, have a reputation for topclass design and workmanship, aimed atthe discerning motorcyclists.TWO METHODSThe two main methods of fiberglass pro-duction currently in use are “hot-press”and “contact” (hand) molding. The formerhas the advantage of ensuring constantthickness and strength. But the molded fin-ish is poor and certainly below the standardrequired of motorcycle fairings. So the“hot-press” molding will inevitably requiresome fairly extensive finishing operations.In simplest terms, the hot-press systememploys accurately matched dies which areheated during molding. Quick setting resinsare used; and the whole operation can becompleted in only three to four minutes.Another look at the comparable toolingcosts shows why mass production is out ofthe question. For a component 18" x 18".with double curvature, the hot-press diescost in the region of £1.200 ($3,300), com-pared with a £20 ($56) contact mold. Onthe other hand, a hot-press die set has anindefinite life (but must be continually inuse to pay its way). Component cost of thesmall (18" x 18") molding works out atsome 65% of the hand made article.Mitchenall fairings are hand laid in openmolds constructed from polyester. This typeof mold is an expendable item, with a nor-mally estimated life of 160 units. At thatstage, weaknesses in the mold and poorsurface finishes can be expected. This in-... 13819-AL-6507-04

Price: 13.27 USD

Location: Kingsport, Tennessee

End Time: 2024-09-23T00:58:44.000Z

Shipping Cost: 5.95 USD